NJ Bill Would Require Reports of Child Sex Abuse Suspicions

A New Jersey Republican has drafted legislation requiring suspected cases of child sexual abuse to be reported to police.

Sen. Kip Bateman will introduce a bill Thursday strengthening the reporting requirements for suspicions of sex abuse on a child.

The bill is in response to child sex abuse scandals at Penn State and Syracuse universities.

The proposed law requires anyone with a reasonable suspicion that sexual abuse has occurred to notify police immediately. Failure to do so would be a crime punishable by a jail term up to six months and a fine up to $10,000.

Current law requires child welfare authorities, but not police, to be notified of suspected child sex abuse.